Endowment compensation?- Anyone tried and actually got any compo back?

[ssd]

Am thinking of trying, would you recommend me to?

I got a cold call this week about endowment compensation. They asked a load of questions and said that I do have a case, so I'm definitely going to pursue this now. The company that rang are no win no fee, but charge 25% of whatever they recover for you. They say in the blurb that 60% of complaints fail when individuals represent themselves, so I'm in a bit of a quandary now as to whether to go for it myself, or through this company.

Surfermum- we've been going through this for about 18mths with the FSA. Last October, we had our complaint rejected but it looks like we had a useless adjuducator, who rejected it on reasons that even the head of the FSA says that even investment companies aren't allowed to use to reject complaints. Our complaint went to the Review Team, and it looks like they couldn't reach a decision so now it's gone on to the Ombudsman for a "Final Decision."

Whether 60% of complaints fail when people represent themselves, you could argue that these endowment compensation companies would say that, they want your business. On the other hand, I think that the FSA don't make it easy. They are after all paid for by the very investment companies that sold endowments in the first place and I get the feeling that 18mths-2years ago, the FSA were upholding too many complaints against these companies. I know the letter we got rejecting our complaint last October, at first glance would probably have put a lot of people off.

So if you do represent yourself, do your homework (I know people here have recommended the Which? endowment website), be prepared for a long wait and don't be fobbed off when/if you get a letter rejecting your complaint.

Thanks petunia. That was my thought about the 60% that fail. I need to dig out my letters and find out what my shortfall is, then I can decide how much I might get back and what 25% of that is and if I think that figure is worth paying someone to do the donkey work for me.